Nail-feeding mechanism.



R. F. MOFEELY.

NAIL FEBDlNG HEGHANISM. urmonrorr nun 1u! as, 1904.

1,002,421, Patented septk 5,1911.

M/ITNESSES.

feeding ether of the lower ,afnemen-- drawings,

characters on in' a" mechanis'rlfo'r: feed UNLTED STATES' PATENT oFFIoE.

'lntirnnnmor nEvEnLY, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoa To Q anomalia' ,comrnNY, or rs'rnnso o Vall who'fnwt "Beverlycertain Improvements tion,

parts iii the severalligures.

This'invention'frelates to mechanism for. and has for its objeetfto4 provide improved means for in- .suri'n,`gia'i certain and reliable separation of- 'the nails or .otherarticles and their delivery onebyfnefrmafraceway or raceway sec- 'ee'dingfnaifls or other articles tion.; y

' Thfinvention'is and in", United States Letters ent :Nol663,777,'1 granted 'December 11,' 1901 althn'gslf it' is obvious that the invention o -be embodied in mechanism for may a l mas be. The. uudingjdjetails scribed gand pointed out in the claims.

Figure '1 of thedrawings is a plan view 'ends ofthe raceways and of the 'mechanisms the feeding mechanism `for't e left-hand raceway being' partiallybroken away better to show its con-` 2 is a plan view of the mecherentperiod of its o ration. Fi 3is la Asectionon the broken ine 3--3 4 is a view similar to Figs.

.mechanismat a'diferent nail-feedin `v struction. f anis'm. ata d' of ig. 2. Fig.

of sits opera 4e.noustru'etionr.herein shown as emfbsdme 'is arranged at the lower ends o theraoeways, .qfwhich -a.' plurality; .are shown,- th

.-.myinve'ntion the nail feedin v.illustrated Vin F F. MGFEELY,

'herein shown as embodied.

in nails or tacks e` illustrated Pat- articles than hails and .that it4 'applied to any machine in which'V tofb'e delivered one at a time. several features of the invention, in

of construction and combinations? of parts, will be hereinafter (lei tion. Fig. is a section on thefbroken line 5f-5 of Fig. 4. `Fi 6 4,5.

different period of l Nain-Emme menuisier. I

. 'specmcauun or Letters Patent. i g-Patented Sept. 5, 1911. I y .maximum filed Mayas, 1994. serial No. 209,557. l

downwardly and provided. with ves 416", 418",'420", 422", and 424"'nwh1ch the nails, supplied from al ho per, become suspended by their heads an slide toward .the ower or discharge ends; The raceway's' are preferably provided with covers 429", 430", 432", which hold the nails Zin place in the raceway's. `End blocks 540" are located at the lower ends of the raceways and are provided with vertical discharge openin 545", one for each of the raceway grooves, t rough which the nails after being separated are delivered .oneV at a. time into the conductor tubes 584" which may guide them tothe nail-insertin mechanisms. The discharge openings an tubes are large enough to permit the nails to pass freely down them, but not large enough to permit a nail to turn therein end for end. The 'end blocks are provided with coverl pla-tes 546", 548", 550" secured to l their upper :faces andf having grooves' 55 in continuation of the raceway grooves and terminating over the discharge openings in the end blocks, the grooves 1nthe cover plates beinwide enough to reeeive and guide the eads of the nails in theirpassage f romthe raceways to the discharge openings.

The construction thus far described is sub- 'stantially the same as that shown and de scribed 1n said Letters Patent ,wherein the same parts are designated by similar reference characters.

The improved mechanism for separating" the lowermost nail in the racewa groove from the line of nails above .it a'n delivering said lowermost nail into th'e discharge opening. of the end block comprises a tack separator and a gate for each raceway. The

plate 1, but it might obviously compriseseparate lingers or bars. The separator lates for the two double raoeways are dup cates bedescribed chieflyy in connection with the feeding mechanismfor rthe left-hand one of the double raceways. i

The se arator p ate 1 is laterally 'movable in a gui eway'cprovided forpit between the raceway and en block' on `the lower side an'd the cover plate 546" -on the 'upperjsid --shown `mostelearly 3 ando.

separator late is vthus a) immediat y belowthe heads 3f-.fthe ini `the racewav it. has near its upper edge separator 'is herein shown ,as an integral" of' each other and the present invention will .e plane I raceway groove and com letely shuts o the line-of nails from thedisclharge opening 545". The separator plate remains at rest until the slide 506* has carried the gate 22 across both of the raceway grooves of the double raceway -and com letely closed said raceway grooves,

after which the arm 20.meets the left-hand along the throatways from the position shown in Fig. 2 to bhe openings 2 at the inner ends of the throativays, and having reached said openings 2 the separated nails, being free to fall' through the discharge .openings 545", have descended into the c011- ductor tubes'584", as shown in Figsf, 5, and

6. In the movement of the partsl'into the position shown in Fig. 4 tlie spring 14 has een compressed, and when the'slide reversely moved the said spring 1 4: will carry the separator plates to the left into normal or` balanced position. At' this time, however,v the separatingl fingers 6V will stand across the raceway ooves and the nails will not be permitte to enter the seats 8 until the parts have been still further moved to the left into the position shown in Fig. 1, t which time a cycle of ther operation of the tackseparating mechanism' will have beenl completed. 4

`Iti will now :be understood that 'the separater .plates take the lowermostvnails of the lines' .of nails 'and deliver them to the discharge openings in -the end blocks, and that as herein described-the operation may be best understood by considering it as carried o'iit by rapid, so thatfinfpractioe the .several steps nsti te one continuous operation. In the s't s p, shown in Fig. 1, the, lowerinost way 4 where it is held by the lowenwall of the tthrotway, and becomes slightly sepa- -rated fr'ointhe line of nails which are heldV baekbmtfthe separating finger 6. This is follwedbym pausein the movement of thel Separator-,plata which is held inthis positionlby 'the 'spring- 14 -while the ge 22 is 4ad vaiic sd"- :into' the space between t e-separated -nal and the nails next above to close theracewajv' groove. 4In the third step, shown; in Figs. 4, 5, and 6', the separatedn layimoved 'to the discharge opening 2 545x ito the conductor'tube 584", the race- :1 any www' beingwmpletely by the three diferent steps, although of: course the movements of the parts are very "i LA y a gate during this delivery o'fthe-separated nail. The separator .plate-performsfthe'entire nail-separatingl operation fivh'ilethez'gite 22 closes the iaceway groove a fte'i thefjl'o'wer most nail has been segiel'gfated'X froiififfthe others and holds the lines-'bfi ijiails=-bacl`so as to insure that the sepaia'ted'iiailsshall have an uninterruptedpassage in being de-I4 livered into the coiidue-toi"'tube. i ""'fr Whilel in the construetion' in which theinvention is herein shovrgas"einbodiedtlie separator plates are actuated at onetiinefby the springs 14: and at iinot'hei-f tiiiifefbythe, slide which cari-ies the gates, itfisffobviofus" that' the invention is not li'ii'nited'jt construe# tions in which' dii'erentii'ieans a'i'e e'iiiploy'ed for actuating these partsfa't. ti'iiifes. Having 4thus described iiiyin'veiitioiig- I desire to claim and seciire'pby Lettei'sla'tent of the United States :4i-f

1. Inea machine of theclass described; the combination with a raceivay, a nail separator, and means .for'jiactiiatiii'g. sa'icli sepas rator for separatin tliedloi'veiinost nail in the raceWa-y from tieli'iieof'iiails therein, ofa gate., arranged to occupy retracted position during the separation of the'fii iils and means for movingl said gate A b'etiveen the separated nail and; theline Qf na'11s" 'for holding back the line'of nails' duringf'tlie delivery .of the 'separat'edriiaih i A 2. In a machine o f tl fe fcla'ss described, the

combination with a raceivay,4 and means for separating the loweriijiost nail. iii the raceway from the line of nails, of a gate, and means for actuating tlie'g'ate to closfejjthe raceway and for actuating i'hosepaiatiiig means to discharge thefsparated';nail;

3. In a machine of thelas's c lesci'ibed, .the combination with a raceivay,.. a separating device having a Wedgefshaped iiieinbei',y and means for actuating saidseparating device to force the Wedge-shaped ineiigbeiigbetiveen-i the lowermost nail and,..tl i e lii`iei oi hails, of a gate and means for iiioving'ttiegateinto the space formed bytheyedgehamdinember between the lowerinostrnail and the fline ofnails.

V 4. In a machine ofltlielclassdesciibedytlie combination with a raceivamatgat'e foniclosing the raceway, a separating device'having a' seat for the lowermost n a-ilgin the raceivay and al separating finger,-arr i 1ige di,wit-h-rela-5A tion to the seat to p ss\ behind, fftlieflnil L located in the seat, oi actuating-mechanism by which the separatingdevicefisfmmedto separate and then deliver:a,-naih-andefthe gate is moved to closegithearacewa before# 5. In a machine of thefclassfdescri beaihe 12 combination with a --'raceivay,.,=a afseparator plate provided Withla"` sepratingqngerga E discharge' opening, and 'af-throatway :connecting'the-discharge opening with the edge qf the 'p lte, .O filmeans for actuating the 13o late for forcing the finger between the owermost nail and the line of nails and moving said lowermost nail into the throatway, a gate, and actuating mechanism for moving the gate to close' the ruceway -and moving the pla-te to transfer the separated nail .through the throatway to the dischargeV opening after the raceway has been closed.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combina-tion with a raeeway, a separat! plate having a seat adapted to receive the Alowermost nail in the race-way, a discharge opening, an oblique throatway connecting the seat'with the discharge opening, and a separating finger adjacent. to said throat- `way, of a gate and operating` mechanism for moving the separator plate to force the Separating .linger between the lowermost nail and the line of nails, means for thereafter moving the gate to close the raceway and for subsequently moving the separator plate to force the nail into the --discharge opening.

7. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination with a raceway, a separator and a gate, of actuating means for first moving the separator to separate the lowermost nail from the line of nails and sustain said nail, and actuating means for then closing the gate across the raceway and moving thel separator to discharge the separat-ed nal 8. In-a machineof the cass described, the' combination with a raeeway for holding headed nails and a wedge-shaped separat-ing device adapted to be forced between the nails adjacent to their heads, of a gate provided with an edge inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the separa-ting device, and actuating means for forcing the. separating device between the nails, said machine having provision for thereafter forcing the rate between the shank ci the separated nail and the nail next above it in the raceway.

9. In a machine ofthe class described, the.

combination with a. raceway for holding headed nails, of a separator'having a wedgeshaped separating finger adapted to be forced between the nails adjacent to theirv discharge opening both' out of alinement.

with the raoeway, and meansv for.4 moving 'discharge of the nail.

'the se arator and the ger adjacent to said throatway, of yielding means for holding the separator plate in balanced position with the separating finger extending across the racewayand means for moving saidl 'late alternately to opposite sides of said alanced position.-

12. In a. machine of the class described, the-.combination with a nail raceway and means for separating the lowermost -nail from the iine of. nails in the racewayand delivering the separated nail, of a gate, and me s for moving the gate between the sepa- -ratedlinail and the line of nails for closing the raceway during the delivery of the separated nail. 'l

13, A machine of the class described having "ai'nail passage and a nail raceway lead-- ing int-o the side` of the nailpassage, combined with means for separating the lowermosttiaail in the rac'eway from the line therein and discharging said separated nail into the passage, and other means for closing the raoeway side of the nail 14. In a machine of the Vclass described, the combination -with a raceway, a nail separator, and means for actuating the nail separator to separate the end nail in the raceway, of'agate'and 'means for moving the gate between the end nail and the line of nails to 'hold back the line of nails during the delivery of the end nail, substantially as descaibe'd` V l5. In a machine of the the combination with a. nail raceway,.a. separator, and a gate, of meansl for actuating the separator and the ate in time relation to cause the gate to ose the raoeway before the discharge of t-he nail from the separator.

16. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a nail raoeway,v a separa-ton'and a gate, of means ,for actuating ate in time relation to eac other and to t e 4raceway to cause the -separator to separate a nail and hold it while the gate closes the raceway and then to deliver the nailbefore the gate re-opens the raceway.

class described,

passage during the 17. In a machine ofthe class described,`

the combination withva raceway in which nails arel suspended by their heads, ofV an endwise movable' separator comprising a rigid structure arranged to engage the nails near their heads and having a. pointed sep- Aaratiu finger, anail seat in the body-` rtion o the separatonlocatedin onto the ,ating the finger point and inset relatively tosaid point, an uninterrupted nail passage extend- 1n inwardly from said nail seat and ob iquely with relation to the direction of reciprocation of the separator to transfer the lnail toward its dischar ing position at that endof the oblique nai passage which is opposite to the nail seat end of the passage, said separator being arranged with relation to the raceway to receive a nail inV the nail "seat, -Which is located at one side of the mouth of the oblique nail passage and has its nail stopping wall substantially parallelwith the direction of reciproca-tion of the separator, when the oblique n ail passage is entirely, at one lateral side fof the raceway groove and to cause-the nailzto enter the oblique passage only after the separator has been actuated from the nail receiving position. n

18. In a machine of the cla-ss described, the combination with a racewayin which nails are suspended by their heads, a separator arranged to engage the nails near their heads, and a gate arranged to engage the nails belowr their heads, of means for actuating the separator-to effect a se arat-ion between the endmost two nails and or actuate to close the raceway behind theend 'nail before that nail is discharged from the separator.

19. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a rooved raceway, a separator having an ob 'que nail guiding face, a gate extending below lthe se arator into the path of the Shanks of the nails, and mechanism for moving the separator to open a space between the endmost two-nails in 'way to separate a nail and holdit in the slot of the separator plate until the raceway groove is closed by the gate and then to deliver the separated nail.

21. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a separator and a gate coperating with a plurality of raceway grooves, said separator having a separating finger for each raceway groove, and actuating mechanism arranged to effect a slight movement of the separator to project the points of the several fingers across the race- Way grooves and then to effect a dwell in the separator movement While the gate is projected across the several raceway grooves and for thereafter advancing the separator to eiect delivery of the nails.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

O RONALD F. MGFEELY. Witnesses:

CHARLES E. GRUSH, ARTHUR L. RUSSELL. 

